The Portland daily press., 1887-12-17
PERSONAL AND PECULIAR.


In Buffalo. He says he never intends TO take
up his residence in that city again.
Pratt, Of astral oil fame. has founded a
technical school for Brooklyn. The building
cost S2OOOOO Mr.. Pratt also gave about q
year ago 500, 900 TO the Adelphi Academy OF
Brooklyn for gymnasium.
Six years ago Eugene Higgins was presi-
dent Of the Maryland Senate. The Legisla-
ture meets again In January. and German
will doubtless get him as good place as he
does not deserve.
The poet Whittier is to have ballad enti-
tied "The Brown Dwarf of Rugen," In
the forthcoming january number OF 81
Nicholas. Il. III. Bashheld furnishes II Win
several Illustrations.
Congressman John L. Russell OF Massachu-
sets has made sensation in Washington By
appearing in bluish-gray overcoat made OF
wool which grew on his own sneep az MS
Worcester farm.
The famous Children's Christmas Club at
Washington, of which Miss Nellie A. Arthur
was once President, is planning for Christ
mas dinner 10 be given to the children OF the
poor. The members wear badges Of white
ribbon with a diminutiye sleigh bell at
tached to each.
The great-grandaughter Of Robert Morris,
who furnished the "sinews' for the reyolu-
tionary struggle, is wOfully poor and Is seek
ing admission, at the age Of "a, to an old
women's home In Washington. She asks the
public for 500 to pay her entrance lee into
the institution.
The jewellers Weekly says that one-eyed
people who can afford 1t have two glass eyes,
one for day, the other for evening use. The
reason for this is that the pupil of the eye Is
smaller in the daytime than at night, and
bau ha fxuo OlaQQ Of AlffQreut 9tZf9
so as to correspond with the natural eye
General Forney Of Alabama, who has just
begun his seventh consecutive term in the
House, is a veteran of two wars. He fought
as lieutenant under the stars and stripes In
the war with Mexico, and won his title Of
general fighting under the stars and bars OIL
the late Southern Contederaey.
Senator Edmunds made fun Of Senator
Eyarts in open Senate Monday. The latter
introduced a bill and requested that It be
printed in the Congressional Record. The
Senator from Vermont arose and s0lemnly
objected on the ground that the measure was
doubtless too V0luminons to be placed IN the
record. The joke was appreciated.
Mrs. Cleveland sees visitors nearly every
day now between ~ and o'clock. but only
those who enjoy a previous acquaintance
feel privileged to call She does not hold
receptions in any sense Of the word. but IL
she is in and friends call, she always sees
them. The programme for the official enter
tainments is now being arranged and Will pc
announced shortly. Mrs. Cleveland will
have frequent guests during the coming
season.
The Eustis Fla) Lake Region has the
following marvellous story; Jack Smiths
old roam hen has recently developed consid-
cradle mercantile ability. The other day
Jack heard some noise in the chicken yard
and went down to investigate. In one cor
ner of the yard the roam hen Bette was
standing by match box full Of bugs These
she was peddling out to the other fowls, a
bug for four grains of corn. The big Dor
king rooster, Jim, was standing by to see
fair play. The way the count was made was
laughable. The purchasing fowl would
place grain Of corn by each OF Bettle's
toes. Bette would examine it critically.
rake it to one side and then pass out the bug,
The Nashville American says that one Of
the most wonderful women in the country Is
Miss Jennie Smith, in charge Of railway
work in the National Temperance Union.
Miss Smith has been hopeless invalid, hay-
ing some sort Of paralysis that kept her year
in and year out on couch. She promised
the Lord that If He would restore her to
health she would devote her life to convert
ing railroad men. A day Of prayer was APP
pointed and at the specified hour she had
prayed for Jennie Smith arose from her
couch well woman Since then she has
given all her time to the railway people, and
ft is to her influence that so many conduc-
tors, porters and brakemen wear the little
knot Of white ribbon In their coats. her
influence Is great, and when strikes are Inn
minent the railway kings have fashion OF
sending for Jennie Smith. The men listen
to her and in many known instances have
needed her wise counsels and have gone
quietly back to work.
Professor W. p. Trowbridge says that he
believes that it Is possible for a bird to sleep
on the wing. Professor Trowbridge said at
the closing session Of the National Academy
of Sciences at Columbia College that 1t has
always been a puzzle how the muscular
action necessary to keep birds on the wing
so long as they often remain could be posi-
BILE: he explained also the recent discovery
by his son, which is that birds Of prey and
some others have the power TO lock securely
together those parts Of the wing holding the
extended feathers and corresponding 70 the
fingers of the human hand. The action OF
the air on the wing in this condition extends
to the elbow, which IS prevented from open
| ing too far by a cartilage, and the wings may
keep this position for an indefinite length OF
| time, with no muscular action whatever on
| the part OF the bird. While resting In this
| way the bird cannot rise in still atmos-
| phere; but il there be horizontal current II
| NAV allow itself to be carried along by 1t,
| with slight tendency downward, and 50
gain momentum by which with a slight
| change Of direction, 1t may rise TO some ex-
| tent, still without muscular action Of the
wings.